Shingle-packing machine



(No Model.)

W. J. PERKINS. SHINGLE PACKING MACHINE.

No. 414,993. Patented Nov. 12, 1889.

PATENT Prion.

\VILLIS J. PERKINS, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

SHINGLE-PACKING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 414,993, dated November 12, 1889.

Application filed November 5, 1888. Serial No. 290,005. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it nuty concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIS J. PERKINS, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Shingle- Packing Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to machines for packing shingles.

The object of the invention is to produce a shingle-packing box and press in which the bundles or bunches can be compressed with facility and the packed shingles removed expeditiously.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my shingle-packing machine. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section looking toward the side which bears the treadle.

The numeral 1 indicates the frame of the machine. This frame has a fixed end 2, against which the butts of shingles are placed in forming bunches, and a hinged end 3, which swings out of the wayin removing the bunch, as usual in machines of this class. Rackbars 4 4one at each side of the machine extend up to the bottom of the box, so that the bottom band of the shingle-bunch may rest on the upper ends of these bars. Rackbars 5 5one at each side of the machine extend above the position of the top band of the shin gle-bunch and terminate in bifurcated hooks 6 6. The rack-bars 4 and 5 are held in slide-bearings in the frame, and the racks mesh on opposite sides with pinions 7, fixed to shaft 8. Thus the rotation of shaft 8 will operate to elevate the bars 4 4 and depress the bars 5 5, or vice versa. A wooden strip, known as a shingle-band, isplaced across the box with its ends resting on the bars 4 4. These bands may have flat metal strips or ties attached to them before being placed in the machine. The bunch is formed by placing the butts of shingles against the ends 2 3 of the box, the points overlapping. When the shingle-bunch is complete, a second wooden band is placed over the center thereof and under hooks 6 6, and the rotation of shaft 8 elevates the lower band and draws down the upper one, compressing the bundle of shingles between them. The metallic ties may then be nailed to the upper band, the nails being driven through the slots in hooks 6 6. The bar 8 may be rotated by a handlever 9 when great pressure is needed. For rapid operation, however, I construct the machine as follows: I fix a ratchet-wheel ll firmly to said shaft 8, and a foot-lever 12, hung in swinging links 13, engages said ratchet-wheel. The lever 12 is normally held up by spring 14 and out of engagement with the ratchet. When the operator presses with his foot on treadle 12, he first throws the pawl end of the lever into engagement with the ratchet 11 and then turns said ratchet-wheel and of course the shaft- 8 with it. A lug 80 stops the upward movement of the link 13, thus enabling the spring 14 to disengage the treadlepawl from the ratchet.

A number of holdingcatches 15 engage with the teeth of ratchet-wheel 11 and hold it from turning backward when thus engaged. These catches 15 are pivoted to a swinging link 16, attached to the frame at 17. One catch will hold the ratchet, but it is better to have several catches of different lengths, so that one catch will engage the ratchet in whatever position it may be. A shoulder on the catches causes them to swing in one direction wit-l1 link 16.

The swinging end or gate 3 of the box has a link 18 attached thereto, and a bar 19 is pivotally connected to said link, the other end of bar 19 being pivoted to the frame at 20. A projection 21 on bar 19 engages a cam-face on the link 16 as the gate 3 swings back, and such throwing back of the gate of course depressing the proximate end of bar 19. (See Fig.1.) The projection 21 swings the link 16 so as to disengage the catches 15 from the ratchet-wheel. The shaft 8 is then free to rotate. As the bar 19 swings still farther on its pivot 20, it engages an abutment 22 on one of the rack-bars l. This moves down the bars'a 4:, at the same time rotating shaft 8 and elevating rack-bars 5 5. The opening of the end gate to take out the shingle-bunch thus restores the clamping devices to position for compressing another bunch.

It will be apparent that the details of construction are open to modification, the salient ideas of the invention being that the opening of the end gate shall set the machine for a new bunch, and that the compression of a bunch shall be under control of a treadle, which, as shown, can be operated successively should a single depression be insufficient to compress the bunch by the operation of the shaft on the rack or clamp bars.

It will readily be understood that equivalent mechanism may be substituted for the racks and pinions whereby the clamps are operated from the shaft, such mechanism being common; also, that the treadle, while shown with ratchet engagement, may otherwise rotate the shaft, such a treadle-andclutch movement as is common in jig-saws being an equivalent of the ratchet and pawl for this purpose. The bar connected to the movable gates and engaging one of the clamps will depress that clamp without of necessity lifting the upper clamp. I have shown, however, the best form of machine yet dovised by me, leaving the equivalents and modifications thereof within the scope of the invention to be covered by my claims.

\Vhat I claim is 1. The combination, in a shingle-packing machine, of the clamp-bars, a shaft having gears engaging said bars, a ratchet and treadle pivoted concentric with said ratchet for rotating the shaft, and locking-catches whereby the clamp-bars are retained in position to compress the bunch of shingles, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a shingle-packing machine, of the clamps and a catch operating thereon to hold the bunch compressed, a pivoted end gate, and a bar leading from said gate to the catch in position to disengage the catch and release the clamp when the end gate is opened, substantially as described.

In a shingle-packing machine, the combination of the bunch-clamps, a shaft having gears for actuating said clamps, a ratchet on the shaft, and a treadle engaging the same, a catch operating on said ratchet, a pivoted end gate, and a bar connected to the end gate and extending into position to release the catch when the end .gate is opened, substantially as stated.

4. In a shingle-packing machine, the combination of a bunch-clamp, a movable end gate, and a bar connected to the end gate and extending to position to engage and open said clamp during the movement of the end gate, substantially as described.

5. In a shingle-packing machine, the combination of the clamps and a shaft having geared connection therewith, a swinging end gate, and a bar connected to the gate and in position to actuate one of the clamps,whcreby through the shaft all the clamps are opened by the gate movement, substantially as described.

o. In a shingle-packing machine, the combination of the compressing-clamps, a shaft having geared engagement therewith, a ratchet-wheel on said shaft, and a tr'eadle having one end formed as a pawl to engage said ratchet, said treadle hung to the shaft by a swinging link, so as to swing concentrically with the shaft, all substantially as described.

7. In a shingle-packing machine, the combination of the compressing-clamym, a shaft having geared connection therewith, a ratchet on the shaft, a treadle having a pawl operating on the ratchet, said treadle pivoted concentric with said ratchet, and a spring operating to lift the treadlc out of engagement with the ratchet, all substan tiall y as described.

8. In a shingle-packing machine, a shaft having geared connection with the compressing-clamps, a ratchet on said shaft, a trcadlepawl engaging said ratchet and connected to the shaft by a swinging link, a spring operating 011 the t-readle to raise the same, and a lug in the path of movement of the swinging link, the parts in combination, substantially as described. 1

9. In a shingle-packing machine, a shaft having geared connection with the clamps, a ratchet 011 the shaft, a pivoted catch engaging said ratchet, said catch having a camsurface thereon, and a swinging bar having a projection engaging said cam surface, whereby the catch may be thrown out of position and the ratchet released, all in combination, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

-\VILLIS .I. PERKINS.

\Vitnesses:

ARTHUR O. DENIsoN, HUGH E. W1LsoN. 

